The Prince of Tennis Series Concludes After 27 Years: Giant Farewell Event Announced
One of the most iconic and long-running sports series in the manga world, The Prince of Tennis (Tenis no Oujisama), is preparing to conclude after a 27-year adventure. The series creator, Takeshi Konomi, has announced that a giant event will be held at the Tokyo International Forum Hall A on July 19th to celebrate the completion of both the original series and the ongoing The New Prince of Tennis manga. This special gathering, titled "Tenipuri Surprise Summit," will serve as an unforgettable farewell for the series' fans.
The event will feature appearances by many prominent figures, including the series' architect Takeshi Konomi, legendary artist Junko Minagawa, who voices the main character Echizen Ryoma, and Ryotaro Okiayu, who brought the character Kunimitsu Tezuka to life. The series, which began in Weekly Shonen Jump magazine in 1999 and completed its first stage in 2008, has been continuing in Jump SQ. magazine under the title The New Prince of Tennis since 2009. Selling over 60 million copies worldwide, this massive franchise went beyond being just a tennis story and redefined the boundaries of the sports manga genre.
Takeshi Konomi stated in official announcements in recent months that the series has entered its final stage and only a few chapters remain in the story. In an emotional post addressed to his fans, the mangaka expressed that he is approaching the finale "without forgetting the passion of the first day" and invited his followers to witness Ryoma's final match. The Prince of Tennis has built a rare empire in Japanese pop culture, not only with its manga but also with Tenimyu musicals performed over 2,000 times, anime series, and multimedia projects for which Takeshi Konomi personally composed songs.
The summit in July is also a subject of great curiosity regarding new announcements about the future of the series. Details of highly anticipated productions, such as The Prince of Tennis II: U-17 World Cup Finals anime project, which is planned for release in the final quarter of 2026, are expected to be clarified at this event. As an era comes to a close, fans of The Prince of Tennis will face both a sorrowful farewell and a grand celebration honoring the legacy of the series.
